Israel refuses to directly respond to the Egypt-brokered truce

The terms of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas have begun to leak out, with Hamas claiming a settlement is being “held up” by Israelis after a week of bombardments in Gaza and more than 120 Palestinians killed, 900 wounded.

Hamas official Ezzat al-Rishq told Reuters that at this point there would be no announcement of an agreement until Wednesday.

“The Israeli side has not responded yet, so we will not hold a [news] conference this evening and must wait until tomorrow,” said Rishq. “The truce is now held up because we are waiting for the Israeli side to respond.”

Reuters reported early Tuesday that both Israel and Hamas had agreed to an Egypt-brokered ceasefire that would come into force at midnight local time. Israel quickly denied this and subsequent reports came out about continuing Israeli bombing and dropping of leaflets urges Gazans to leave their homes if they want to stay safe, an indication of possible escalation.

CNN later reported that Israel was holding out official agreement to the ceasefire until after a calming in Hamas rockets from 2:00PM until 9:00PM local time. This broadly coincided with what Hamas official Ayman Taha initially told Reuters.

“An agreement for calm has been reached. It will be declared at 9.00 p.m. and go into effect at midnight,” Taha said.

Al Jazeera reports that Hamas, through Egypt, expressed the terms of the ceasefire thusly: stop assassinations; stop rocket fire from Gaza; ease border crossings (not open totally); the guarantor of ceasefire is the Egyptian government.

Hamas and Egypt have been clear and focused in their desire and terms for a ceasefire, whereas Israel continues to issue vague responses and refuses to welcome an end to hostilities.

The jail warden, Israel, says they’re not there yet on a truce. A truce? Between whom? The Israelis who are lobbing all manner of high tech weaponry on to the Palestinian people living in the largest open air concentration camp on earth. Or the Palestinian inmates who are lobbing all manner of low tech weaponry, rocks and bottle rockets, at their jailers. At very minor risk to themselves, Israel is essentially shooting fish in a barrel. To broker a truce between Israel and Palestinians is like brokering a truce between Hitler and the concentration camp inmates; as if they were both on a level playing field.

Bibi’s claim that “we are not there yet” on a truce is another way of saying we’re not done exterminating Palestinians.

Wow, you must be really tough coming out with that brave statement!!!!!!! I guess you've already left the anonymous and comfortable seat in front of your keyboard and booked your ticket to Israel and enlisted with the brave and heroic IDF to take pot shots at those pesky palestinians who are sooo obviously on someone elses land. Why I think you might be a real, Audie Murphy hero, taking cover behind a Merkava MBT or advancing with an AH64D Longbow in support, gifts from the good old USA to "defend" against a tyrannical raging horde, armed with tinpot rockets, and wanting to dominate the whole planet. I bet mum and dad are real proud of the child they've raised……….right, sarcasm over. YOU, GUEST, ARE IN DIRE NEED OF A BLOW JOB THAN ANY ZIO-CON IN HISTORY.

The "Guest" opinion says it all, he actually representing Israel fascist government wanting to do exactly what Hitlerism of German race did when they killed Jewish whom were against Hitlerism agendas.

The Neo Fascism comes in many different face and colors, this "guest" is one of them, rest are the Neo Liberal fascism and you can see them how they ruling over Europe making the people life's miserable by stealing their rightly worked for pensions and other. Look: you guest or not, you and people like you are the sick part of those who are already psychopath repeating the history wanting to implement and form the Neo Fascist in America, a country which been feeding you for years, you are not the one to be blamed for your dishonesty and disrespect toward American nations, but ones whom been feeding you and those alike you to become you, you are simply a product of vulture capitalism.

If what Mr. Lieberman said is true, or even an element to what's going on, than this 'delay' is fully expected. It's also important to note that of the two "goals" mentioned, neither seem to be aimed, or even seriously attempt, to achieve a 'long term 'solution' or 'peace'. Obviously there are other "theories", and most likely other 'motivations' and 'goals' even if these are 2 of Israel's 'goals', but the ultimate implication publicly stated by the Israeli FM seems to be that a true "ceasefire" isn't serious, obtainable, or even desirable, in the long term…from an "Israeli Policy" standpoint.